Becon

Remission of Sins, Justification by Faith Alone, True Churches, and a Reformed Anglican Catechism

Thomas Becon, from the Reformed and Protestant Church of England (1512-1567). 1) All are sinners, a doctrine Joel Osteen will not preach. He will not, by public admission with Larry King, use the term "sinner." 2) Becon observes that the Gospel-ministrations are done within the true church, outside of which there is no salvation. It is there, if a true church, that we hear the Law and Gospel. 3) Observe the free, sovereign, electing mercies of God, to wit, the Calvinism. Although it is not Calvin we extol, but the Scriptural doctrines which transcend Calvin. Becon also. 4) There is no Finneyism or revivalism here, as we've seen with the Baptacostals and Pentecostals at TBN over the last several days. 5) Notice, clearly, near the end, the active obedience of Christ and the imputed righteousness of Christ to the believer. 6) There are a few typoes below that do not transfer to this venue. See the orginal. 7) Observe that justification is by faith alone, soley, singularly apart from/without works or human achievements. 8) Also, this is a catechism, to wit, a father and son. Questions and answers. This was intended to be read between father and son. Instruction. It is a father's duty to teach the lads and lasses. Let modern day fathers do this. Let them read this with his children and explain these things. 9) This should be re-deployed in Anglican and Reformed Churches.

Becon's book is available freely and downloadably at the URL. This book should be the catechetical manual of Anglican Churches, worldwide.

http://books।google.com/books?id=-8t6T7EhnXoC&pg=PA43&dq=thomas+becon+catechism&output=text#c_top

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Father. Is there remission of sins in none other congregation, but in the congregation or church of Christ only?

Son. No, verily. For to him that is no member of this holy church sin is not remitted but retained.

Father. Prove by the holy scriptures, that there is remission of sins laid up in God's treasure-house for all sinners that repent in faith.

Son. Are not these the words of God by the prophet ? " If the ungodly will turn away from all his sins that he hath done, and keep all my commandments, and do the thing that is equal and right, doubtless he shall live and not die. As for all his sins that he did before, they shall not be thought upon, but in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. For I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, saith the Lord God, but rather that he convert and live." Again: " As truly as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but much rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn you, turn you from your ungodly ways, O ye of the house of Israel. 0, wherefore will ye die?" Also in another place: " It is commonly said, if a man putteth away his wife, and she goeth from him and marrieth with another, should he resort any more unto her after that? Is not this field then defiled and unclean? But as for thee, thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet turn again unto me, saith the Lord." Item: " Thou shrinking Israel, turn again, saith the Lord, and I will not turn my face from you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not alway bear displeasure against you," " 0 ye shrinking [sic...PV: ??, not sure what he means] children, turn again, saith the Lord; and I will be married with you."

As I may pass over almost innumerable testimonies of the old testament, which do most manifestly declare, that there is plenty of mercy and abundance of remission of sins laid up in store with God for all sinners that repent and unfeignedly turn unto their Lord God; to whom is it unknown, how lovingly and mercifully Christ Jesus the Lord calleth unto him all such as are grieved and heavy laden with the burden of sin, and promiseth that he will ease them and give them rest? How oft doth he call them that thirst, and promiseth to give them of the water of life freely! How oft doth he confess that he came " to call sinners unto repentance," and " to seek up that which was lost"! "What other thing do the parables of the stray sheep, of the lost great, and of the riotous son preach unto us, than that there is mercy in store for all penitent sinners ? Are not these the words of Christ ? " Verily I say unto you, there shall be joy in heaven before the angels of God over one sinner that rcpenteth, more than over ninety and nine which need no repentance." What other thing also do the histories of Matthew the publican, of Mary Magdalene, of Simon Peter, of Zache the publican, of the thief, of the incestuous Corinthian, of Paul, of Onesimus, and of such like, than preach unto us, that there is grace, favour, mercy, and remission of sins laid up in store in God's treasure-house for all sinners that repent in faith, being members of this holy universal church ? Therefore I may right well say: "I believe the forgiveness of sins."

Father. We then are all sinners?

Son. Yea, verily. For "in many things we all offend." " We are all unprofitable servants." " There is no difference. All have sinned, and want the glory of God." "There is no man so righteous on the earth which sinneth not." " Who is able to say, My heart is clean, and I am free from sin?" "All our righteousnesses are as a defiled cloth." If God should enter into judgment with us, and deal with us according to our deserts, no man that liveth should be found righteous in his sight.

Father. We may then, although never so sinful, believe, hope, and look for remission of our sins boldly at the hand of God, if we unfeignedly repent and turn unto the Lord our God.

Son. Nothing is more true. And therefore our Saviour Christ taught us daily to pray on this wise: " And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us."

Father. Who forgiveth sins ?

Son. God alone, as it is written: " No man can God alone forgive sins, but God alone." And God himself saith : "I am he, yea, I am he indeed, which putteth away thy sins, yea, and that for my own sake, and I will remember them no more." " The Lord," saith the psalmograph, " is full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness. He will not alway be chiding, neither will he keep his anger for ever. He dealeth not with us after our sins, neither rewardeth he us according to our wickedness. For look how high the heaven ia in comparison of the earth, so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him. Look how wide the east is from the west, so far doth he set our sins from us. Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him. For he knoweth whereof we be made, he remembereth that we are but dust." " Who is like unto thee, O God," saith the prophet Miche, "which pardonest wickedness, and forgivest the offences of the remnant of thine heritage ? Thou keepest not thine anger for ever. And why? thy delight is to have compassion. Thou shalt turn again, and be merciful unto us; yea, thou shalt put down our wickednesses, and cast all our sins into the bottom of the sea."

Father. What moveth God to be so gentle and merciful unto us, that he will so what bounteously forgive us all our sins, when we repent and turn unto him ?

Son. His forgive u« own. nature [PV, won't transfer, see original at the URL], which is altogether good and gracious, and " hateth nothing of all those things that he hath made." " He hath saved me," saith David, " because it was his pleasure." Again: " Freely, and for none of their deserts, shalt thou save them, O Lord." " It lighteth not," saith St Paul, " in any man's will or running, but in the mercy of God." And God himself saith: " I shew mercy to whom it pleaseth me to shew mercy, and have compassion on whom it is my pleasure to have compassion." Again: "I am he, yea, I am he indeed, which putteth away thy sins, yea, and that for mine own sake." Item: " Thy destruction cometh of thyself, 0 Israel; but thy salvation cometh only of me."

Father. But seeing that God is not only gracious but also righteous, not only the rewarder but also a revenger, not only a Saviour but also a condemnor, how comethl good it to pass, that his mercy excelleth his justice, and his judgment giveth place to grace and favour, so that we be not punished according unto justice, but forgiven according unto mercy ?

Son. Christ Jesus is that dearly-beloved Son of God, for whose sake God the Father is well pleased with man. He is our peace-maker. " He by his blood hath pacified all things both in heaven and earth." He hath reconciled us unto God his Father, and set us at one. He is " the perfect fulfilling of the law to justify every one that believeth." He is that " Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." He is that " Mediator between God and man, which gave himself a ransom for men." He is that Advocate, which pleadeth our cause before God the Father, and easily obtaineth pardon and forgiveness of our sins. He is that high and everlasting Bishop, "which sitteth on the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us." He is that Saviour, which " came into the world to save sinners." He is that mighty and valiant conqueror, which hath delivered us from the tyranny of Satan, from the captivity of sin, from the curse of the law, from the danger of desperation, from the dart of death, and finally from the torments of everlasting damnation. To be short, he is our "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, that, as it is written, He that rejoiceth should rejoice in the Lord."

Father. How or by what means do we obtain and come ye by this exceeding great gift?

Son: By faith, we have grace, favour, and mercy, concerning the remission of our sins at the hand of God for Christ's sake ? By faith, as St Paul saith : " Of grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; for it is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself." St Peter also saith: "Of Christ all the prophets bear witness, that through his name all they that believe in him shall receive forgiveness of sins." St Paul agreeth with this, as blessed Luke testiifeth, saying: " Be it known, ye men and brethren, that through this man (Christ) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and from all the things whereby ye might not be justified by the law of Moses, by this man (Christ) every one that believeth is justified." Item : " There is no difference: all have sinned, and want the glory of God; but freely are they made righteous even by his grace through the redemption that is done by Christ Jesu, whom God hath set for a mercy-seat through faith in his blood, to shew the righteousness which availeth before him, in that he forgiveth the sins which were done before under the sufferance of God, which he suffered, that at his time he might shew the righteousness which availeth before him, that he only might be righteous, and the righteous-maker of him which is of the faith of Jesu."

Father. What doth it profit thee that thou believest the forgiveness of sins ?

Son. By this I am certified and well assured in my conscience, that I am a member of Christ's church. For none doth rightly believe but such as appertain unto the holy' congregation of the Christians. Again, that I am partaker of all the merits of Christ's passion and death. Thirdly, that by the blood of Christ all my sins are washed away and utterly forgiven, so that they shall never more be imputed unto me, nor laid unto my charge: not only that, but also that, as all evils be taken away from me by the death and blood of Christ, so likewise by the same are all good things given unto me, as it is written: " Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are made righteous, by the name of the Lord Jesu, and by the Spirit of our God."